The Hidden Treasure
Page 5
“All right, what’s going on?” Queen Fire asked. “If this is some sort of trick to lure me to the castle . . .”
“It’s not a trick!” Bella said, pleading with her aunt. “I promise, the book was right here! I opened it and saw the crystal. I’m not lying.”
She yanked another book off the shelf. And another.
“I’m guessing that this is your first experience with a book shuffle spell,” Queen Fire said.
“A what?” Bella asked.
Queen Fire sighed. “It’s a kind of protection magic. You found the correct book, and to make it a little harder, the books reordered themselves when you left.”
“Oh no,” Bella said. “We have to start all over again.”
Queen Fire moved toward a shelf and plucked off a book. She opened it, then set it on the floor.
“One down,” she said.
“We have to move faster than that,” Bella said. “I mean, I don’t think anyone is going to come in here, but I can’t stay too long.”
“Did it seem as though I wanted to spend the night?” Queen Fire asked, annoyed. She shook her head, her signature red earrings clinking back and forth. “I have a home to get to as well.”
After what seemed like forever, they had made a dent in the amount of books on the shelves, but there were still hundreds of books left.
“I probably need to go see if my parents are home,” Bella said. “I’ll sneak back in. Do you want anything?”
“Water, please.”
“Okay, be right back.” Bella eased the bookcase to the side, opening it just enough for her to get through, then slid it back.
The great room was quiet and the kitchen still empty. Whew. Not having to sidestep Dad or—“Mom, hi!” Bella said.
“Whoa, that was close,” her mother said, smiling. “Careful, Bells. I’m old, and you can’t plow into us old folk.”
“Sorry!” The princess froze, unsure of what to do. Act normal. Sit on the couch. Turn on the TV. But what if Mom wanted to talk more? Put on something that she hates. But—
“What time is company coming?”
Bella tried not to react, but a streak of panic ran through her. Her ears started to feel warm, and she knew she was blushing—something she always did when she tried to lie.
“Bella, come on.” Queen Katherine reached out and touched her elbow. “I was just teasing. Are you sure everything is okay?”
“Completely sure,” Bella said. “I’m just really thirsty.” Bella dashed to the kitchen and got bottled waters from the fridge.
She twisted the cap off one of the bottles and started drinking the water quickly. She skirted around her mom and sat on the couch. She flicked on the TV.
“I’ll be on the back patio if you need me,” Queen Katherine said.
Bella smiled and nodded.
After the back door shut, she counted to twenty before she leaped off the couch and ran to the bookcase.
“I’m so sorry,” Bella said. “Here’s your—”
The vault was empty, and all of the books had been returned to the shelves. Queen Fire had clearly found the crystal and gone home. The princess’s debt to Queen Fire was paid. But that didn’t mean Bella wanted the queen or king to know that she’d been in the vault and start asking questions. One book near the end was upside down. Bella pulled it out and flipped the book over. STABLES was scratched into the back.
“Ugh,” Bella said. She stamped her foot, not caring that she wasn’t five. “I just want this to be over.” Bella groaned again and rolled her eyes as she put the book back right side up.
She turned and smacked directly into Queen Katherine, with Ivy trailing close behind. Ivy, looking pale, mouthed, “I’m sorry” to her best friend.
Bella felt her heart drop to her toes.
10
Reunited . . . but Are They United?
Queen Katherine took off for the stables, and Bella had to work to keep up with her mom.
“Mom, wait. Can we talk first?” Bella pleaded.
The queen ignored her and made a beeline down the stable aisle.
“Where are you going?” Bella asked.
“To the exact spot where my sister and I used to almost live when we were your age,” the queen said.
She stopped in front of Glimmer’s stall and slid the door open.
“Katherine,” Queen Fire said, locking eyes with her sister.
In one of her hands was the crystal. Queen Fire halted, quietly closing the stall door.
“Were you going back on your word?” Bella asked. “You obviously found the crystal in the vault and then you came here. Why?”
“I did find the crystal. My locator spell worked perfectly.” The queen eyed Bella, her gaze settling on the “stables” book. “So you figured out how to find me,” Queen Fire said. “But I also found the book that you had seen, Bella, with this note. I knew it wasn’t some childish act of vandalism. The word “stables” was the only clue that I needed. It led me here.”
Bella’s eyes wandered from her mom to Queen Fire. Six guards flanked Bella and her mom. They had been so silent that Bella hadn’t even heard them approach. Bella looked over her shoulder, and three more guards stood silent and still behind Queen Fire. Bella locked eyes with Glimmer. As much as the unicorn disliked Queen Fire, she was standing still and on her best behavior.
“Tell me the truth, Fawn,” Queen Katherine said. “Did you come here for the crystal or for something else?”
The guards tensed, ready to pounce if Queen Fire said the wrong thing. Whatever “wrong” was.
“The crystal,” Queen Fire said. “I came for the photographs it holds, Katherine. Of us. Of our childhood.”
Bella shook her head, sure she’d heard wrong. She hadn’t allowed herself to think much about what the crystal did. That somehow made it easier to steal from the castle and give to Queen Fire.
“Guards, I have the situation under control. You’re free to go.” Queen Katherine leaned down to face Bella. “As for you, I can tell you that we are going to have a very, very long talk about all of this when your father gets home.”
“I know.” Bella cast her eyes down. “I’m sorry.”
She was ready for Queen Katherine to tell her to go to her room and not expect to ride Glimmer for weeks. Months.
Queen Katherine let out a big breath. “I know you are,” she said. “Why don’t you take Glimmer out for a walk and let me talk to my . . . sister. We clearly have a lot to discuss.” Bella looked from her mom to Queen Fire. The sisters exchanged small smiles.
“Come on, Glimmer,” Bella said. Glimmer sidestepped Queen Fire and trotted after Bella as she left the stables. Bella felt lighter than she had in a week. She knew that she was still in big trouble for lying to her parents. As she looked back at her mom and aunt, she tried to imagine how close they used to be and hoped this might help them speak again. Maybe one day they would all end up at Queen Fire’s castle, enjoying that Dark Forest cake as one big family.
But for now, the one thing Bella knew for sure? Glimmer was safe and all hers.
Acknowledgments
Many, many thanks to my team at Simon & Schuster who made The Hidden Treasure, well, magic! Hugs to Mara Anastas, Alyson Heller, Fiona Simpson, Jessica Handelman, and everyone from sales to design who had a hand in crafting this book.
Victoria Ying, your illustrations brought Bella, Glimmer, and their friends to life—thank you!
Endless appreciation to my friends, Cali Family, and the amaze Agent Jenn.
Thank-yous to the teachers, librarians, booksellers, and reviewers everywhere!
Finally, to my readers—you are the true princesses and princes!
Jessica Burkhart writes from her apartment in Brooklyn, New York. It’s not the size of Crystal Castle, but Jess tries to decorate like a princess! Jess’s aura would be hot pink, and she loves glittery things. If she had a unicorn, it would be named Sparkle. Visit Jess at www.unicornmagicseries.com.
Aladdin
Simon & Schuster, New York
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authors.simonandschuster.com/Jessica-Burkhart
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Don’t miss any of Bella and Glimmer’s adventures!
Unicorn Magic
BOOK 1: Bella’s Birthday Unicorn
BOOK 2: Where’s Glimmer?
BOOK 3: Green with Envy
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
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This Aladdin hardcover edition March 2015
Text copyright © 2015 by Jessica Burkhart
Jacket illustrations copyright © 2015 by Victoria Ying
Interior illustrations by Victoria Ying
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Jacket designed by Jessica Handelman
Interior designed by Mike Rosamilia
The text of this book was set in Arno Pro.
Library of Congress Control Number 2014958803
ISBN 978-1-4814-1108-0 (hc)
ISBN 978-1-4424-9829-7 (pbk)
ISBN 978-1-4424-9831-0 (eBook)